Chintan Shivir: 'Margdarshak mandal', 'Kamraj' plan in Cong on cards

Udaipur, May 15: Congress organisational reforms committee is debating on the age limit for the party leaders for organisational positions and idea has been floated that those who have crossed 70 years of age should step aside for new leadership to hold the fort and should keep themselves for advisory role, sources revealed.

However a final call on the recommendation will be taken by the Congress Working Committee (CWC). The BJP already has "Margdarshak Mandal" (advisory committee) since after the 2014 parliamentary polls, wherein veterans with age above 75, including stalwarts like L.K Advani and M.M. Joshi, were asked to quit active politics and guide the party. The move which was criticised by the Congress by claiming that the BJP is ill treating senior leaders of the party.

According to the sources, the "Kamraj" plan was also floated during the party's "Chintan Shivir", under which it is being advised that the senior leaders quit government post and work for the party.

Meanwhile another proposal which is being discussed is that half the office bearers will be less than 50 years and any office-bearer cannot hold a post for more than five years and the person has to step down on completion of the tenure. There will be a cooling of three years before a new assignment is given.

Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken said, "Our opponents have been faster in adopting new things, so now onwards our party will see the change after the shivir."

The Congress is likely to make an assessment wing comprising leaders which will reward or remove anyone as per the performance. This was one of demands of the dissident group which had been saying that nobody has been made responsible for the poll losses.

The party's interim President Sonia Gandhi had said on Friday that the "Chintan Shivir" will give an opportunity to discuss the numerous challenges that the country is facing as a result of the policies of the BJP and of the RSS and its affiliates.

"So it is both a chintan about national issues and a meaningful atma-chintan about our party organisation," she had said in her inaugural speech. With the party witnessing organisational crisis, it would be upto the CWC that how it take these suggestions. The party is of view that the organisational reforms are required in a time bound manner. The CWC will meet on Sunday evening to decide on the recommendation made by the sub-groups.